Megayachts

World's 100 Largest Yachts 2007 #63: Siran

#63: SIRAN—225'1"

Some members of our Megayachts forum vociferously voiced their opinions about Siran's refit, which wrapped up earlier this year at Feadship’s newest facility in Makkum, Holland. They rued what they felt was the destruction of a master design created by the late Jon Bannenberg. Feadship's Royal De Vries yard, which originally constructed her, and Tim Heywood, who was part of Bannenberg's design team during her development, worked closely with the owners on the extension of her transom, enclosure of her forward sundeck, and the removal of the "fins" on her funnel (a signature Bannenberg element). They kept the spiral stair aft on her starboard side, though, much to the delight of the critics and supporters alike on the forum. Judging from the fact that two photos posted on that discussion thread were downloaded more than 500 times and two others more than 1,000, though, not everyone hates her. Dickie Bannenberg, son of Jon and now the head of the design studio, summed it up this way on the forum: "I think anyone adjusting one of my Dad’s boats will run the risk of facing a critical audience, but life has to move on, and their owners are continuing to enjoy them. De Vries and Tim did a good job."